For 32 years The Teaching Home has provided families information,
inspiration, and encouragement from a distinctively Christian perspective.Co-Editors: Veteran Home-School Sisters, Sue Welch and Cindy Short

Our Nation Desperately
Needs Our Prayers.

"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,

Then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14

A Message from Restore America

Why We Must Increase
the Evangelical Vote Across
the Nation on
November 6th
by 3 Million

Only days remain for Christians to build the wall to protect our nation's God granted freedoms and preserve our heritage as a Christian nation.

1.The 2012 Elections will determine whether America will become a socialist, top down, government controlled ‘nanny' state, or return to limited government, fiscal responsibility, and traditional values.

2.The 2012 Elections will determine whether we remain a free people in control of government, or become progressively subjugated by a socialist mindset in government that is hostile to Christianity, Christians, and the principles embodied in our Constitution.

3.The Evangelical voting block (58 million eligible to VOTE) is the largest voting block in the nation, and by its sheer numbers – if mobilized to VOTE – could ensure the election of far more conservative Christian World View candidates to public office at all levels of civil government.

4.Of that 58 million, however, only 33 million VOTED in the Presidential Elections of 2004 and 2008! Only 22 million voted in the 2010 Elections!

5.This election, with the propaganda, demagoguery, media bias, and negative campaigning by special interests, will mislead the naive, the uninformed, and the dependent, in order for radical liberal elites to maintain power and control in Washington for four more years, from which we will not recover.

6.By our very numbers, it is we Christians who hold America's future in our hands. It is our vision and commitment to our citizenship duty – or lack thereof – that will determine the nation's course. If America is to be restored ‘Under God', Evangelical Christians must be informed, engaged, and mobilized to VOTE in far greater numbers in 2012.

If we fail to register 3 million of the 25 million Evangelicals who are eligible to vote by the deadlines set out for each state, we are headed for an election without the participation of millions of God's people, a tragedy for our witness as followers of Christ, in whom He dwells in power and strength to turn the nation back to the God we say we serve.

There is no more needed block of voters in America, no time more important for taking action.

Calvin Coolidge, Thirtieth President of the United States said, "If the people fail to vote, a government will be developed which is not their government . . . The whole system of American Government rests on the ballot box. Unless citizens perform their duties there, such a system of government is doomed to failure.

Our Vision

3 million more Evangelicals registered and voting in the November 6th General Election

Our Goal

The Largest Turnout of Evangelical Voters in American History!

"Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressman and government officials, but the voters of this country." - Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States

We have grown accustomed to hearing that we are a democracy;
such was never the intent. The form of government entrusted to us
by our Founders was a republic, not a democracy.

Our Founders had an opportunity to establish a democracy in America and chose not
to. In fact, the Founders made clear that we were not, and were
never to become, a democracy.

John Quincy Adams said, "The experience of all former ages
has shown that of all human governments, democracy is the most
unstable, fluctuating, and short-lived."

A pure democracy operates by direct majority vote of the
people. When an issue is to be decided, the entire population
votes on it; the majority wins and rules.

A republic differs in that the general population elects
representatives who then pass laws to govern the nation.

A democracy is the rule by majority feeling; a republic is
rule by law.

If the source of law for a democracy is the popular feeling
of the people, then what is the source of law for the American
republic?

According to Founder Noah Webster: "Our citizens should
early understand that the genuine source of correct republican
principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament, or the
Christian religion."

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Sunnyside Up

Less Is More

For our kindergarten studies I was emphasizing both character building and academic basics. Little did I realize how well the character lessons were sinking in until one day when I was reviewing number line concepts with our 5-year-old.

I asked, "If you had a choice of 7 or 17 doll dresses for your birthday, which would you choose?"

"Seven, she said confidently. (Oh, no, I thought. She hasn't grasped number value at all!)

"Why would you choose 7?" I probed.

"Well, Mom," she replied, "17 new dresses at a time just wouldn't be good stewardship!"

God's Plan of Salvation

For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that who- ever believes
in Him should not perish, but have eternal
life. (John 3:16)

2. Man is separated
from God by sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) For the wages of
sin is death. (Rom. 6:23)

3. The death of
Jesus Christ in our place is God's only
provision for man's sin.

He (Jesus Christ) was delivered over to
death for our sins and was raised to life for
our justification. (Romans 4:25)

4. We must
personally receive Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord.

But as many as received Him, to them He
gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name. (John
1:12)

For by grace you have been saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the
gift of God; not as a result of works, that
no one should boast. (Eph. 2:8, 9)

God's Word

Immerse your family in God's truth through systematic reading and study of God's Word.

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Online at TeachingHome.com.

Listen to the Bible Online. Choose from six English versions (plus Spanish and other languages) at BibleGateway.com/Audio.

• Sing 'n Learn: Audio/Video American History Resources
• Basic Christian Education: Bible Based Curriculum
• The Learning Parent:For You They Signed Book
• WallBuilders: American Heritage DVD Series

Greetings,

As Christian homeschoolers we have a unique opportunity to teach our children the true Christian heritage of our nation and the biblical principles upon which it is based. We hope that this issue will be helpful to you in doing so.

The structure of the United States government is the result
of sacrifices and contributions of varied persons and cultures
throughout history.

Following are some of the contributions that are the building
blocks with which the great edifice of liberty has been erected
throughout the ages.

1. Ancient Civilizations

• The Jews had a complete and detailed system of law and justice based on the Law of Moses given by God.

• The Greeks contributed important ideas about order and justice.

• The Romans furnished parts of our concepts of duty, authority, and rule by law.

2. God's Word

• The Bible is referred to by our founding fathers as "the great political textbook" giving us our ideas of morality, justice, spiritual liberty, and the sanctity of law.

See a chart of 21 items showing the influence of Biblical thought on America's legal system with Bible references.

3. The Magna Carta

This agreement between the king and his subjects was signed by King John of England in 1215 at Runnymede. It ensured:

• That the king could not levy taxes without the consent of a council of nobles (which would later become Parliament).

• That all freemen had the right to a jury trial by their peers.

• That people had the right to own property which the King could not seize without payment.

These three freedoms are very similar to Amendments IV, V, and VI of our Constitution.

4. The Reformation

During the Reformation, many events took place that dramatically affected the progress of liberty and, later, the form of American government:

• Wycliffe's translation of the Bible into English and
insistence that the common people had the right to read it enabled people to rise out of the darkness of spiritual ignorance and religious and civil tyranny.

• Martin Luther's 95 Theses and subsequent events impacted the nature of civil and religious freedom including a return to the truths of Scripture, the overthrowing of tyrannical empires, and the value and responsibility of the individual.

• Gutenberg's invention of the printing press enabled individuals to have the Bible and other literature in their own language at a price affordable for the common man. This helped break the chains of darkness and illiteracy.

5. Religious Freedom

Although it would be centuries before this belief would be given full flower, there came to be a growing realization that men ought to be able to worship God according to their own conscience.

• The Edict of Nantes granted the French Protestant Huguenots religious liberty in 1598. Although not fully enforced, it paved the way for our First Amendment.

Many Americans do not realize the extent of Christian
influence on our nation's founding, especially since it has been
"written out" of public education textbooks. Others either deny
our Christian foundations or seek to remove their memory or our
connection to them.

However, this nation has a rich Christian heritage, and
Christian homeschool families should be especially diligent to
thoroughly acquaint their children with it.

We have probably heard the accusation that the Founders of
our country were deists. David Barton, head of WallBuilders, an
organization dedicated to the restoration of America's moral and
religious foundation, observes:

"In many dictionaries, the terms 'deist,' 'agnostic,' and
'atheist' appear as synonyms. None of the notable Founders fit
this description as their own writings show."

• For You They Signed by Marilyn Boyer. Character Studies from the Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence.

• A Nation Adrift DVD. From Christopher Columbus to the present, showing God's sovereign hand behind the history of our nation.

• America's Godly Heritage DVD. Clearly sets forth the beliefs of many of the Founding Fathers concerning the proper role of Christian principles in education, government, and the public affairs of the nation.

A History of the Signers
of the Declaration of Independence

For You They Signed:
The Spiritual Heritage of Those
Who Shaped Our Nation

Written by Marilyn Boyer
Endorsed by David Barton
Michael Farris, and many others

• 56 Signers: Study one and the related Scriptures and character qualities per week.

• Shows the godly philosophy of our
Founders and includes many testimonies of salvation through Jesus Christ.

• Re-awaken a sense of patriotism and
the inspiration to take back our great
institutions from secularism.

See More Character Building Curriculum and Resources from Rick
and Marilyn Boyer, Pioneer Home Educators of Their 14 Children.TheLearningParent.com

3. The U.S. Constitution

The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of
our American Government. As the supreme law of the land, no law
may be passed that contradicts its principles and no person or
government is exempt from following it.

Our Amazing Constitution

The following is excepted from
a Citizenship Day and Constitution Week
Proclamation made by former President
George W. Bush.

Today, we marvel at the wisdom of the Framers who toiled through a long summer of learned and contentious debates.

Their work produced a document that upholds high ideals, while answering the most practical questions of governance. The charter they crafted – with its separate branches of Government, enumerated powers, checks and balances, and later the specific protections provided by our Bill of Rights – guides our Nation and inspires others around the world.

Twin Foundations. As the delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia began working on what would become the United States Constitution, they grasped that a great democracy must be built on the twin foundations of:
• National consent to a Federal Government
• Respect for individual rights.

Balance of Powers. In creating our Nation's Constitutional framework, the Convention's delegates recognized the dangers inherent in concentrating too much power in one person, branch, or institution.

They wisely crafted a Government that balanced the functions and authority of a Federal system among three separate but equal branches:
• The Executive
• The Legislative
• The Judicial.

As a further check on central power, the Framers granted citizens the right to vote, giving them the power to express their political preferences peacefully and thereby to effect change in the Government.

The Convention delegates ratified the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and submitted it to the States for approval.

Bill of Rights. After much deliberation and discussion at the State level, the following two concerns emerged from among those who feared the Constitution's proposed centralization of Federal power:
• The threat of tyranny
• The loss of local control.

To address these fears, our Founders amended the Constitution by adding a Bill of Rights.

These ten amendments provided a series of clear limits on Federal power and a litany of protective rights to citizens.

Today, our Nation celebrates the longest-lived written Constitution in world history.

Judicial Interpretation of the Constitution

The subject of constitutional interpretation is a valid and practical concern today. Federal judges who are appointed by our next president will be responsible for decisions that will reach into many areas of our lives for years to come.

Michael Farris observes, "If judges can change the meaning of legal terms to reach the outcomes they desire, then they no longer believe in the rule of law rather than the rule of men. This kind of judicial activism is nothing other than the rule of men – it is just the judges who are grabbing the reins of power."

Family Research Council works to maintain the rule of law and constitutionalism in state and federal courts. FRC believes judges have an obligation to interpret the law as it is written and not to impose their own policy preferences – being committed to the text and clear meaning of the Constitution and other laws. Read more.

The First Amendment – Issues

The First Amendment to the Constitution does not include the phrase "separation of church and state." Nowhere does it suggest that Christianity cannot be heard in the public square.

Yet today the misinterpretation and misapplication of the First Amendment is being used to remove all influence of the Bible and Christian principles from public policy.

The founding fathers did not include the First Amendment in the Constitution to disallow Christianity from influencing state-established institutions. In fact, the first act of the United States Congress was to authorize the printing of 20,000 Bibles for the Indians. Read more.

Proposed Parental Rights Amendment

ParentalRights.Org, headed by Michael P. Farris, has proposed the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Section 1 reads, "The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right."

• Free online resources from Hillsdale College:
• The Constitution Reader Online, an interactive, searchable, and customizable website centered around The U.S. Constitution, including illustrated timeline, key debates, database of quotes, and topics that are most important to understanding American government.
• Two courses and one mini-course on the U.S. Constitution with weekly lectures, study guides, quizzes, readings, and Q&A sessions featuring participant questions.

Excerpted and reprinted by permission from an article by Charles and Cindy Meek, www.faithfacts.org.

Christians believe that the Bible offers ultimate, objective, and absolute truth. There was a general consensus on this point in America from the earliest settlers until only very recently.

Thus it was natural for the early Americans to turn to the Bible for guidance as to how to make civil law. This was the standard for law beginning with the Mayflower Compact all the way through the constitutions of all 50 states.

State Constitutions

For example, the first state constitution was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639). Read this document which contains these words:

"For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God by the wise disposition of his divine providence . . . and well knowing where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Government established according to God, . . . to maintain and preserve the liberty and purity of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus which we now profess. . ."

The framers of this document desired that every aspect of it be based on the Bible. This document was a model for other constitutions including the U.S. Constitution which followed it. (See other Preambles to State Constitutions.)

Rule of Law

Another aspect of our system of government is that it is based on the Rule of Law. This concept is a direct descendant of Hebrew law and the Ten Commandments.

Together with the concept of inalienable rights from God, these concepts helped ensure a way of life that respected the dignity of every individual.

The True Nature of Man

Another important aspect of America's constitution is that it has as its basis the distinctly Christian idea that man is basically sinful. Every one of our founding fathers understood this truth. The result was that the founders built into the Constitution an elaborate system of checks and balances.

This is evident in the horizontal plane of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. It is also evident in the vertical plane of federalism - states' powers versus federal powers.